• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

3

Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

3

Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
MPWMost Powerful Women

This Sequoia-Backed Fashion Startup Wants Designers to Make Clothes That Fit All Women

By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 10, 2017, 2:46 PM ET
Courtesy of Dia&Co

This week, top designers, models, and style bloggers are flocking to the Big Apple for New York Fashion Week.

And while the biannual gathering of trendsetters is meant to include the who’s who of the fashion world, it has been criticized for excluding a major segment of fashion’s consumers: plus-size women.

Dia&Co, a clothing subscription service for women sizes 14 and above, wants to change that. On Thursday, the startup took out a full-page ad in The New York Times challenging the fashion world to design clothes that fit women of all sizes. “Fashion she can’t wear is becoming a bit unfashionable,” reads the top of the ad, which is also a call to action: “This week, we challenge true fashion vanguards to start designing for women of all sizes.”

Company founder and CEO Nadia Boujarwah says she hopes to get designers’ attention through highlighting the business case for designing for the plus-size women. Research firm NPD Group reports that in 2015, although an estimated 67% of American women are size 14 or larger, sales of plus-sized clothing accounted for just 17% of the U.S. women’s apparel market.

A survey of 1,500 Dia&Co customers conducted last month revealed that the majority of them (72%) do not believe that fashion designers create their designs with the average American woman in mind. 78% of these women said they would be willing to spend more money on clothing if more designers offered plus size options.

“That gap is an opportunity,” says Boujarwah.

Subscribe to the Broadsheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the world’s most powerful women.

Boujarwah and Dia&Co co-founder Lydia Gilbert recognized that opportunity in 2014, launching the company together after meeting at Harvard Business School. The startup’s product offering is similar to that of straight size fashion subscription service Stitch Fix. After filling out a survey on style preferences, Dia&Co customers receive five clothing items to try on at home each month. Subscribers can then choose which items to keep and which to ship back, working with a stylist to hone the appeal of future shipments.

The at-home try-on model works particularly well for plus-size women, for whom finding clothing in their size in stores can be problematic. “It’s so stressful,” says Ariana Varas, a longtime Dia&Co customer from Queens, New York. “Either they don’t have my size or the style I want…and you get so nervous ordering online because you don’t know how it’s going to fit,” she says.

An added benefit of getting to try things on at home, says Varas, is that “you don’t have to worry about being judged for the size that you are.”

Kristine Alden, a Brattleboro, Vt.-based customer who discovered the company this past summer, says Dia’s clothes “made [her] feel pretty again.”

The numbers show that these women are not alone in their loyalty to the company. Over the past 12 months, the startup’s revenue has grown an eye-popping 35-fold, a number that has—unsurprisingly—caught the eye of venture capitalists. At the end of last year, the duo closed an $18 million Series A round, led by Sequoia Capital. Boujarwah says the company plans to continue to expand (it already serves customers in all 50 states).

Alfred Lin, a partner at Sequoia and the former chairman and COO of Zappos, says that what makes Dia stand out from the increasingly crowded space is its combination of authenticity and operational effectiveness. The former comes from Boujarwah’s personal struggle to find stylish clothes in her size; the latter from her past life as an investment banker. “Having one is necessary, but not sufficient. You have to have both,” Lin says.

Dia’s campaign for more fashion inclusiveness also includes a newly announced sponsorship of the third annual theCURVYcon (essentially the fashion week for plus-size women) as well as a social media campaign under the hashtag #movefashionforward.

About the Author
By Valentina Zarya
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

Jane Fraser defied the ‘glass cliff’ to engineer Citi’s long-awaited turnaround
NewslettersMPW Daily
Jane Fraser defied the ‘glass cliff’ to engineer Citi’s long-awaited turnaround
By Claire ZillmanMay 28, 2026
6 hours ago
Five giant hyperscalers—and Nvidia—share a surprising trait: female CFOs
AIMost Powerful Women
Five giant hyperscalers—and Nvidia—share a surprising trait: female CFOs
By Sheryl EstradaMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Citi’s 5-year comeback: How CEO Jane Fraser turned the bank’s chronic underperformance into decade-high revenue
MagazineCitigroup
Citi’s 5-year comeback: How CEO Jane Fraser turned the bank’s chronic underperformance into decade-high revenue
By Claire ZillmanMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
MagazineMeta
Why Meta hired Dina Powell McCormick to help sell its vision for AI in Washington and on Wall Street
By Ellie AustinMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
MagazineSam's Club
As CEO of the $96 billion Sam’s Club, Latriece Watkins is testing her mettle at the warehouse retailer that produced CEOs for Walmart, Target, and Walgreens
By Emma HinchliffeMay 27, 2026
2 days ago
Trump has lost four members of his Cabinet. All of them are women
NewslettersMPW Daily
Trump has lost four members of his Cabinet. All of them are women
By Emma HinchliffeMay 26, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
7 days ago
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
Environment
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
By Dorany Pineda, Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Banking
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
Economy
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
By Tristan BoveMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
2 days ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he criticizes everything his 42,000-plus employees show him: ‘You can’t go a day without some criticism’
By Preston ForeMay 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.